Mid-Winter Magic: Festival du Voyageur is Almost Here.

Winter in Winnipeg can be simply brutal even for the heartiest of folk.  If you hail from a warmer climate just imagine days where the sun doesn’t rise until 8 am and sets before 4 pm in the depths of the season.  Imagine at least 4 solid months where the mercury never rises above freezing and on most days it’s hovering somewhere around -10 to -15 Celsius.  Imagine for a moment if you will of living in the city that often holds the title of coldest city on the planet.

The beginnings of a snow sculpture.

Is it any wonder why then in the middle of this madness we affectionately call winter that we hardy fools bundle up and head out into the winter darkness to enjoy Festival du Voyager. A predominantly french cultural affair that celebrates the men and women who opened up this part of the country during the fur trade of the 17 and 1800’s.

Carved from snow, a giant bird guards her egg.

Tourtière for supper! Two Voyageurs enjoy a hearty meal.

Gord Downie: Canadian Musical Legend.

For anyone who is a fan of The Tragically Hip the title of this post should come as no surprise.  For the rest of you, sit back as I try to capture the spirit of a Canadian poet, songwriter, musician, wise man and raving lunatic.

 

Gord Downie (Photo – Robert Ogden)

 

I had the great fortune of being offered a ticket to see Gord Downie and his new band The Country of Miracles last night in concert.  For the record I am a fan of The Tragically Hip and have been so since I first heard the song Little Bones, off the Road Apples album in the early 90’s.  The catchy lyrics and rocking beat lead me to other tracks such as 50 Mission Cap,  New Orleans is Sinking

 

Gord Downie Singing a Duet with Julie Doiron. (Photo – Robert Ogden)

 

Bachman and Turner: Still Rollin’ Along

After an extended absence from the North American music scene Randy Bachman and Fred Turner are fresh out of the studio and back on the road after parting ways in the late 1970’s.   The bombastic pair from Winnipeg’s North End once formed the backbone of the guitar heavy rock group Bachman-Turner Overdrive.

Randy Bachman and Fred Turner (Photo - Dan Harper)

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame…Finale

Looking at the playbill after Jeff Beck had left the stage I noticed that we only had two more headliners to go,  Metallica and U2.

With appropriate heavy metal bluster Metallica took the stage with ear-splitting prowess.  Originally the organizers of the event wanted Led Zeppelin to carry the hard rock part of the show and were pretty much turned down flat by the remaining members of the group.  Thus it came to be that metal’s chosen heirs came to New York representing  every thing that embodies teenage angst and rebellion.

Opening with For Whom the Bell Tolls, the heavy drumbeat thumping into my chest with some force. Then into One and Turn the Page, before bringing out New York Native Lou Reed.

By their own admission Metallica does not play well with others, and did not automatically grasp the “Jam” concept for the show.  However when they learned whom they were to be teamed up with it all made sense, claimed lead singer Lars Ulrich.  It was their job to become the backing band for their Rock and Roll Elders.

Lou Reed emerged onto the stage in a Deja Vu invoking cheer of “LOOOOO”, thinking back to the “BOOOO’s” that greeted Bruce Springsteen the night before.  He appeared totally at ease with Metallica and the crowd as he lead  off with Sweet Jane.  White Heat/White Light followed in a similar rocked up fashion.

Lou Reed leads Metallica